Weaving Lab: 2017

Points of inquiry:

1.PRODUCTION

This year we have sourced wool yarn from Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill in Mount Horeb to weave as many yards as we can get on a loom to make a handwoven, locally sourced and locally produced cloth.

3.MEDITATION

What meditational value does the act of weaving provide as an act of creation that combines focus and relaxation?

Often, weavers experience a meditative feeling when weaving. This loom is focused on the repetitive process of weaving in relationship to the mind and body rather than a perfect end product. Community members can sign up for hour-long sessions to learn to weave a rag rug on this floor loom.

5.DISTRIBUTION

What can we weave without a floor loom?

Fairbanks has designed a take-away laser cut tapestry loom that visitors can dress with yarn and take home to weave on their own time. The loom is the size of an iPhone 6 which is portable and invites the audience to participate in material production to offset time we spend on our digital devices.

2.TIME

How long does it take to weave and how does rhythm relate to the process of weaving?

For this experiment, we ask our guests to select a full-length vinyl album to listen to on our record player while they weave a tea towel in a directional twill. We will consider both the duration of the album and the rhythm within the songs in relationship to the weaving process. Community members can sign up for hour-long sessions to learn to weave on this floor loom.

4.EDUCATION

How can we explore and invent weave patterns based in math structures?

Within the limits of a 4-harness loom there are 1000s of loom-controlled patterns that can be achieved. We will use this loom to explore a selection of those patterns, and include color variations to expand the possibilities.